Filling tail removal equipment



March 30, 1965 D. P. ANGLE 3,175,588

FILLING TAIL REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Filed March 15, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l (4/ 618 flaw/sea 14N425 ATTORNEYS March 30, 1965 D. P. ANGLE 3,175,588

FILLING TAIL REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Filed larch 15, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 432M, fla 424M;

ATTORNEY6 March 30, 1965 D. P. ANGLE 3,175,588

FILLING TAIL REMOVAL EQUIPMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 j N, fly ggp i-Wr ii Filed March 15, 1963 flf In] V INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,175,588 FILLWG TAIL REMOVAL EQUEPMENT Duward P. Angle, Cheraw, S.C., assignor to Burlington Industries, 1516., Greensboro, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mm. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 265,447 6 Claims. (Cl. 139-256) The present invention relates to improvements in filling tail removal equipment for automatic filling replenishing looms, and more particularly, to equipment which will completely remove the filling tails of both the spent and full bobbins from the shuttle box area of the loom and deposit the same in a receptacle during and immediately after transfer.

In looms of the automatic filling or weft replenishing type, there is provided a magazine for storage of full bobbins or quills, and transfer mechanism for ejecting the spent bobbin or quill from the shuttle when the shuttle is in the shuttle box and inserting one of the full bobbins or quills from the magazine. In some instances, the automatic replenishing looms are provided with automatic bobbin-winding mechanism for winding the filling on spent stripped bobbins and supplying such bobbins auto matically to the magazine.

In each automatic filling replenishing loom, there are two filling tails which must be completely removed from the box area, otherwise such filling tails might be picked up by the flying shuttle and woven into the fabric thus causing either minor or major imperfections in the fabric. One tail which must be removed results from the tail of a full bobbin placed in the shuttle and extending from the held end of the thread to the selvage of the cloth after the shuttle has made a pick. This tail is sometimes referred to as the incoming tail. The second tail which must be removed is the tail resulting after the shuttle has returned from the opposite end of the loom where the usual midget feeler indicates or signals the transfer mechanism that the bobbin in the shuttle is spent. This latter tail extends from the selvage to the shuttle, and more particularly, to the bunch remaining on the spent bobbin in the shuttle. This tail is cut at the selvage and at the bobbin and is sometimes referred to as the outgoing tail.

Heretofore, many types of mechanical, pneumatic or suction devices have been used for removing such tails from the shuttle box area but these prior clearing devices were not entirely satisfactory as their action was not positive. With the advent of certain types of yarns or threads such as synthetic yarns or threads including fiberglass, prior equipment has found it difficult to hold and remove the tails completely from the box area.

In prior equipment utilizing suction for removing the tails, it was the usual procedure to provide a single suction pipe arranged to cooperate with the lay and to pick up the tails by holding the incoming tail of the full bobbin throughout the full range of picks of the shuttle for that bobbin and then removing such tail when that bobbin was spent and its outgoing trailing tail was cut at the selvage and at the bobbin. Oftentimes the tail being held during the interim between successive transfers was snagged or picked up by the shuttle and woven into the cloth. This was especially true of certain yarns or threads such as fiberglass or the like.

In other instances, a single suction pipe was used for removing just the outgoing tail of the spent bobbin while the incoming tail of the full bobbin was removed by the mechanical or suction-holding means of the ends of the tails of the bobbins in the magazine. This was not entirely satisfactory as such incoming tails of the full bobbin, after the bobbin had been transferred into the shuttle, sometimes clung to the surface of the shuttle box or to 3,175,588 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 the shuttle and was stripped from the mechanical holding or removing means and woven into the fabric resulting in a jerked-in filling. Rather than use a mechanical holding and removing device, efforts were made to use a suction pipe for holding the ends of tails of the full bobbins in the magazine, it being thought that the suction pipe could be utilized to remove the tails of the full bobbin after the bobbins have been transferred to the shuttle and the tails have been severed from the bobbin. Here again the necessary positioning of such suction pipe away from the general box area proved ineffective in clearing the incoming tails of the full bobbin from the loom. Also, it was necessary to maintain the suction on the ends of the tails of the full bobbins in the suction pipe at all times. While efforts were made to apply suction only during the replenishing operation and a short period thereafter so tha: there would be proper tension and the cut incoming tail could be removed, it was found that during the periods when no suction was applied there was always the possibility of one or more of the ends of tails of full bobbins in the suction pipe being accidentally removed. This resulted in improper clearing of tail when its bobbin was eventually transferred to the shuttle.

An important object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment for automatic filling replenishing looms in which the outgoing tail of the spent bobbin and the incoming tail of a full bobbin are held and removed during and immediately after the transfer cycle. By removing the outgoing tail and the incoming tall at substantially the same time, it is not necessary to hold a tail during the interim period between transfer cycles and therefore the chance of the tail being inadvertently woven into the fabric is removed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment including a first means for removing the outgoing tail of a spent bobbin and a second means for removing the incoming tail of a full bobbin transferred to the shuttle, the first and second means being utilized to remove both tails within a few picks of the new bobbin.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment in which a pair of suction pipes are utilized, one being utilized for removal of the outgoing tail of a spent bobbin and the other being utilized for removal of the incoming tail of a full bobbin, the suction pipes having a strong vacuum created therein simultaneously for a predetermined length of time.

Ancillary to the preceding object, it is a further object of the present invention to provide filling tail removal equipment in which suction is applied to the suction pipes upon initiation of the operation of the transfer mechanism and such suction is maintained for a predetermined length of time after the operation of the transfer mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment including a pair of suction pipes for removing the outgoing and incoming tails respectively, the suction pipe for removing the outgoing tail being assisted by a hook element for stripping the tail from the lay on the lays backward motion.

Ancillary to the immediately preceding object, it is further contemplated that the filling tail removal equipment include means for positively reopening the Staffordtype cutter so as to release the outgoing tail therefrom substantially simultaneously with the cutting of the outgoing tail by the temple cutter at he cloth selvage.

A further object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment including a pair of suction pipes for respectively removing the outgoing and incoming tails, holding means for holding the ends of tails of full bobbins while the bobbins are in the magazine and a stripper tail hook fin carried on the outside of the shuttle box and arranged, on forward movement of the shuttle full bobbin being transferred to the shuttle from the v holding means as the temple cutter cuts the incoming tail at the selvage of the cloth after at least one pick of th shuttle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment in which a pair of suction pipes are provided for respectively removingthe incoming and outgoing tails duringand immediately after a transfer cycle, the. suction pipes being utilized to initially hold the respective outgoing andincoming tails just prior to their being cut by the temple cutter.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide filling tail removal equipment for removing both the outgoing and incoming tails substantially at the same time, such equipment eliminating a great numberof moving parts that require attention, adjustment and repair.

By substantially eliminating moving parts, the chances of losing a tail dueto motion of the parts is reduced to a minimum and the cost of maintenance is reduced.

These and other objects and advantages of the present rangement for'supplying vacuum tothe pair of suction tubes simultaneously;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic plan view of the loom of FIGURE 1 with standard parts of the'loom being omitted for purposes of clarity and illustrating tail removal equipment of the present invention actingon an outgoing filling tail of a spent bobbin just being severed by the temple cutter and released by'the Stafford-type cutter;

FIGURE 3 is a view somewhat similar to FIGURE 2 but illustrating a full bobbin threaded into the shuttle and showing in full lines the incoming filling tail prior to release by the tensioning means and in dash-dot lines, the incoming filling tail after release by the tensioning means and stripped of the holding means and just as it is being cut by the temple cutter. The figure also shows in broken lines the outgoing filling tail being withdrawn through its respective suction pipe;

FIGURE'4 isa view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 3 and showing the shuttle in phantom lines in the shuttle box while omitting the picker stick; FIGURE 5 is a view taken substantially on the line 5-5 0fFIGURE 3 and showing the suction pipe for removal of the incoming filling tail and the novel guide 7 means for directing the tail to the mouth of the pipe;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3 and illustrating the novel cam arrangement for actuating the Stafford-type cutter;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG- URE 3 and showing the shuttle feeler tip having a hook thereon with the outgoing tailtherein; and,

FIGURE 8 is a view taken substantially'on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 3 and showing the suction pipe for removing the outgoing tail.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like character or reference numerals represent like or similar parts, and more particularly, to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the loom shown therein is but a fragmentary portion of an automatic filling replenishing loom. In more detail, the loom 10 may be, for example, the type disclosed in the prior United States Patent No. 2,766,779, issued October 16, 1956, to William V. Goodhue and Robert E. Morton. The loom 10 is illustrated with the tail clearing equipment of the present invention installed thereon.

The loom 10 has a loom frame 12 with the usual breast beam 14 on which is mounted a temple 16 for holding the selvage edge of the cloth being woven. The temple 16 is provided with the usual temple thread cutter 18 for severing the ends of'the filling along the cloth selvagev The loom 10 is also provided with a reciprocating lay 20 on which is mounted a shuttle'box generally indicated by the numeral 22,. A picker stick 24 having a picker 27 is adapted to pick a shuttle S (FIGURES 2 and 3) across the lay 20 through the shed S' of the warp W. The shed S is controlled by the usual harnesses between each pick of the shuttle. The shuttle S is guided alongv the lay 20 and its-reed (not shown) to the opposite side of the loom where it is received in a similar shuttle box (not shown) and returned by a similar picker stick (alsonot shown) in the usual manner.

The lay 20 has the usual. reciprocating motion back and forth in the direction of the arrow A (FIGS. 2' and toward the woven cloth and generally toward the transfer 'to ejection of the same.

mechanism, it beats the filling of the pick into the cloth inthe usual manner. The fly shuttle type of loorn thus far described is old and well known in the art and accordingly is but fragmentarilyshown and briefly described in order to orient the filling tail removal equipment.

Atthe replenishing end of the loom, as shown in FIG- URE 1, there is provided a magazine M for receiving bobbins B fully wound with filling from a winding mechanism not shown. The magazine M, one by one, delivers the full bobbins B to the shuttle 20 in shuttle box 22 at the replenishing end of the loom after the shuttle S has e spent bobbin B." ejected therefrom.

The transfer mechanism for ejecting the spent bobbin B from the shuttle S includes a rocking transfer starting rod or shaft 25 journaledon the loom'f-ra'me 12 which initiates the usual transfer action of the hammer 26 journaled on a stationary shaft 27'. The hammer 26 includes a bobbin-engaging portion 28, a rod 30 extending therefrom, and a second bobbin-engaging portion 32 at the opposite end of the rod 30. An operating member 34 journaled on stationary'shaft 27' is activated by the transfer action to cause a Stafford-type cutter 36, such as shown in US. Pat. No. 1,552,388 to A. E. Staiford, granted September 1,. 1925, to move into and out of the shuttle box 22 in the usual manner. Rotation of the transfer rod or shaft 25 is initiated by a signal from the usual midget feeler on the opposite side of the loom when such feeler indicates that the bobbinB in the shuttle S is spent andshould' be replaced when 'it returns to the replenishing side of the loom. The shuttle S returns to the shuttle box 22'on the replenishing side'of the. loom and then the'transfer mechanism startsits operation by the bobbin-engaging portions 28 and 32 ofthe hammer 26 engaginga'nd stripping the full bobbin B which has been dropped from the magazine and into a transfer position where it will be in alignmentwith the hammer. The full bobbin B is directed from the transfer position into the shuttle S, the full bobbin B displacing the spent bobbin B.

During the transfer cycle, the Stafford cutter 36 moves into the shuttle box 22 and shuttle S and as it is moving into the same, itis opened was to receive between its jaws the outgoing tail of the spent bobbin B just prior Then theStafford-type cutter 36 moves away from the shuttle box 22 and its jaws are closed to sever such tail from the spent bobbin B and hold such tail until the tail is severed at the cloth selvage by the temple cutter 18.

The full bobbins B in magazine M have the ends of their tails T held by a holding means such as the drum 38. The drum 38 may be similar to that shown in the aforementioned United States Patent No. 2,766,779 or in United States Patent No. 2,638,936 of Goodhue and'.

Morton, but instead of utilizing the drum to remove the incoming tai-l T of the bobbin B transferred into the shuttle S after the tail has been severed by the temple cutter 18, the drum 38 is merely used as a temporary holding means (for the ends of the tails until such time that the end of the tail of a transferred full bobbin B is stripped therefrom and cut at the cloth selvage by the temple cutter 18 and removed by the means of the present invention as will be described in more detail later in the specification. While the holding drum 38 has been disclosed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of temporary holding means may be utilized with the filling tail removal equipment of the present invention.

The filling tail removal equipment of the present invention includes a first suction pipe 40 mounted on the stationary breast beam 14 by a suitable bracket 42 and a second suction pipe 44 fixedly mounted to the stationary frame structure of the loom, both suction pipe-s having their mouths facing the lay 20 and shuttle box 22 during the forward movement of the same toward the transfer mechanism. In more detail, each of the suction pipes 40 and 44 are provided with venturis 46 and 48, respectively, at their rearmost ends. A high pressure manifold 50 is connected to each of the venturis 46 and 48. Lint and filling tail discharge pipes or conduits 52 and 54 extend from the venturis 46 and 48, respectively, to a suitable receptacle. The high pressure manifold 50 is provided with a T fitting 56 having a high pressure conduit 58 connected thereto. The high presure conduit 58 extends to a source of compressed air such as a compressor 60 schematically shown in FIGURE 1. The high pressure conduit 58 is provided with an air-operated timer delay pilot valve 62 which is normally closed. A button valve 64 positioned in a bypass conduit 66 is adapted to supply compressed air from the compressor 60 to the timer delay pilot valve to initiate action of the same to open it for a predetermined length of time. The button valve 64 is actuated by a lever 68 carried on the transfer starting rod 25. It will now be apparent that when the midget feeler sends a signal to the transfer mechanism to initiate rotation of the transfer starting rod 25, the lever 68 engages the button valve 64 to open the same and allow compressed air to pass through the by-pass conduit 66 into the timer delay pilot valve. This causes the pilot valve to initially open and it will remain open for a predetermined length of time. When the pilot valve 62 is open, compressed air then flows unobstructed through the conduit 58 into the high pressure manifold 50 past both the venturis 46 and 48 to create a strong suction in each of the suction pipes 40' and 44. When lint or tails are removed through the suction pipes 40 or 44, they pass into the outlet conduits 52 and 54 where they are conveyed to a suitable receptacle.

Referring now in more detail to the arrangement of the suction pipe 40 (FIGS. 1 and 8), it will be noted that the pipe 40 has a flared mouth 70 which is elongated in generally horizontal direction. The suction pipe 40 extend-s horizontally toward the lay 20, its longitudinal axis being substantially transverse of the lay. Also, it will be noted that the suction pipe 40 is positioned between the loom side of the shuttle box 22 and the temple cutter 18 as will be explained in more detail later in the specification. The lay 20 is provided with a groove 72 on its upper surface which is aligned with the axis of the suction pipe 40. Extending vertically downwardly beneath and forwardly of the mouth 70 of suction pipe 40 is a pick-up guide fin 74 which is received in the groove 72 of the lay 20 when the lay 20 moves in a direction toward the transfer mechanism on its beating stroke. The pickup guide vane 74 will pick up the outgoing tail T of the spent shuttle B and direct it toward the flared horizontally extending mouth 70 of suction pipe 40 so that the suction can hold tail T until it is severed from the bunch on the spent bobbin B and from the cloth selvage.

The second suction pipe 44 (FIGS. 1 and which is also fixedly mounted to the loom frame structure is provided with a similarly horizontally extending flared mouth 76. The suction pipe 44 has a longitudinal axis which is substantially parallel to the axis of suction pipe 40, and

6 is positioned between temporary incoming tail holding means such as the drum 38 and the shuttle box 22. In other words, it may be said that the suction pipe 44 is arranged at the outside end of the shuttle box 22 rather than the loom side of the shuttle box.

A guide wire 78 extends from beneath the mouth of suction pipe 44 upwardly in front of the mouth and in an inclined direction and is suitably secured to a portion of the stationary frame structure of the loom such as a casing 80 of the magazine M as indicated at 82. The purpose of the guide wire 78 is to guide the incoming tails T of full bobbins B in magazine M which are held by the drum 38 as the tails progressively move downwardly with their respective full bobbins B until such time that their particular bobbin is transferred into the shuttle S to replace a spent bobbin B. At that time, the guide wire 78 directs the tail T of the bobbin B inserted into the shuttle S directly across the elongated horizontally extending mouth 76 of suction pipe 44 so that it can be held by suction until its end is stripped from the holding drum 38 and its other end severed at the cloth selvage.

' The Stafford-type cutter 36 which is moved into and out of the shuttle S in order to pick up the outgoing tail T of the spent bobbin B is provided with the usual lay bunter 84 which is engaged by the lay 20 on the forward movement of the same. This causes the Staiford-type cutter to be moved backwardly. A pin or cam follower 86 is provided on the Stafford-type cutter 36 and during the forward movement of the cutter, the pin 86 normally engages a cam to cause the cutter jaws to open. However, upon rearward movement of the Stafford-type cutter 36, the usual cam caused the jaws to close and sever and hold the outgoing tail T and maintain the same held until the next transfer cycle. According to one feature of the present invention, as best shown in FIGURE 6, an improved cam 88 is provided for engagement with the pin or cam follower 86, the cam 88 having a first cam surface 90 for opening the Stafford-type cutter during for- Ward movement of the same and closing it during initial rearwardmovement of the same when the lay bunter 84 is engaged by the forwardly moving lay 20. The cam 88 is provided with an additional cam surface 92 which is engaged by the pin 86 upon further rearward movement of the Stafford-type cutter 36, the cam surface 92 causing the Stalford-type cutter to immediately reopen its jaws to release the severed end of the outgoing tail T. The cam 88 with its cam surfaces 90 and 92 is fixedly supported on the loom frame structure in a position where the jaws of the Stafford-type cutter 36 are reopened at substantially the same time the temple thread cutter 18 severs the outgoing tail T' at the cloth selvage. At the time that the jaws of the Stafford-type cutter release one end of the tail T and the temple cutter 18 cuts the other end at the cloth selvage, the outgoing tail T is immediately Withdrawn through the mouth 70 of suction pipe 40.

In order to further insure that the outgoing tail T is stripped free from and does not cling to the lay 20 and the shuttle box 22, the usual shuttle feeler tip element 94 fixedly carried on the loom frame structure is provided with an upwardly facing hook or eye 96 as best shown in FIGURE 7. When the shuttle feeler tip element extends into the shuttle box 22 to perform its normal function of determining whether or not a shuttle S is in the same, it will pick up the outgoing tail T of a spent shuttle and receive the same in the hook or eye 96. As the shuttle box 22 and lay 20 move away from the shuttle feeler tip element, the outgoing tail T is caught on the forward portion of the hook or eye 96 and is positively stripped from the lay and shuttle box.

The usual tensioning clamp 98 is provided adjacent the lower portion of the temporary holding drum 38. The tensioning clamp 98 is operable during the transfer cycle in the usual manner to clamp the incoming tail T of the full bobbin B between its jaws as the full bobbin B for this tail is transferred or inserted into the shuttle S.

7 The tensioning clamp 98'provides tension on the incoming tail T at least until the time; the tail T has beenthreaded through the shuttle eye'and then its jaws release the in coming tail while the end of the incoming tail is still temporarily held by the drum 38.

In order to assist stripping, the end of the incoming tail T from the drum 38 after, the jaws of the tensioning clamp 98, have released such tail, a tail hook fin 100 is a pick across the lay through the shed S and will have returned to the shuttle box 22 and the temple cutter 18 will be severing the incoming tail T at the cloth selvage.

The incomingtail T which has been directed by the guide wire 78 across the mouth 76 of suction tube 44 wi1 l be immediately drawn through the suction tube 44 and conveyed through the outlet tube 54. to a suitable receiving;

receptacle. r V

The operation of the tail removing equipment of the present invention may be briefly described as follows. At

the outset of the description of the operation, it will be understood thatthe outgoing tail T of the spent bobbin B and the incoming tail T of the full bobbin B replacing the spent bobbin in the shuttle S. occurs within a few picks of the bobbin B during the transfer cycle and immediately after the transfer cycleso that it is not necessary to. hold I one or-both of the tails for the long interim between sucq cessive transfer cycles. Indescribing the operation of the present invention, a description of the removal of the outgoing tail T will be given first, it being understood that the operation of the removal of the incoming tail T is occurring almost simultaneously therewith. After the description of the operation of the removal of the outgoing tail T', the description of the operation of the removal of the incoming tail T will be given and coordinated with the previous description.

When the midget feeler on the opposite side. of the loom indicates that a, bobbin is spent and transfer is, necessary, it initiates starting of the transfer mechanism by causing the transfer starting rod to rotate. When the rod rotates, the usual transfer action takes place, that is the spent bobbin B is'ejected by the hammer 28 anda full'bobbin B from the magazine M is inserted into the shuttle in its place. Asthe transfer cycle starts, therod 25 causes thelever 68 to depress the button valve 64 permitting compressed air through the by-pass conduit 66 into the timer valve 62 to open the same for a predetermined length of time. When the timer valve 62 opens, compressed air from the compressor flows through the conduit 58 into the manifold 50 and creates suction simultaneously in both suction pipes 40 and 44. This suctionis continuously applied for a predetermined length of time suficient for removal of both the outgoing and, in-

coming tails.

With the initiation of the actuation of. the transfer mechanism, the Staffordrtype cutter 36'moves into the shuttle and engages theoutgoing tail T and as it is moved in a reverse direction by further forward movement of the shuttle box22 and lay engaging the lay hunter, it severs the tail T and holds the same. At the same time that the Stafford-type cutter picks up the. tail T in the shuttle box, the shuttle feeler tip 94. has also entered the shuttle box and the outgoing tail T rides over its nOse 102 and into the hook 96. During this previously described action, the lay 20, still moving forward, will receive in its groove 72 the pickup guide fin of the suction pipe 40. Since suction has just been previously applied to the pipe 40, the outgoing tail T is held by the mouth O t io h pe and a the lay 20 th e shuttle o 22 moves away from the transfer mechanism, the suction pipe holds the outgoing tail T while the book of the shuttle feeler tip insures stripping of the same should it cling to the shuttle box 22 or to. the lay 20., During this time, one end of the tail T is 'held by the Stafford-type cutter 76 while the other end is still connected to the cloth selvage. FIGURE 2 shows the position of the outgoing tail T in a dash-dot line just prior to being picked up whereas the full line shows the tail T being held by the Stafford-type cutter 36 and the clothselvage just prior to being cut by the templecutter 18. Further rearward movement of the Stafford-type cutter 36' causes the pin 86 to move upwardly along the cam surface 92 and reopen the Stafford-type cutter 36 and this occurs substantially simultaneously with the cutting of the outgoing'tail T bythe temple cutter 18 at the cloth selvage. As shown in FIGURE 3, the tail T upon release of its ends, is withdrawn through the hook or eye 96 of the shuttle feeler tip element 94 into the mouth 70 of suction pipe As soon as the spent bobbin B- has been ejected from the shuttle S, the full bobbin B is removed from the magazine M and inserted into the shuttle. -The incoming tail T of the bobbin B which has been held by the temporary holding drum 38 is clamped by the tensioning clamp 98 so that sufficient tension is placed on the tail T to insure threading of the tail through the eye E of the shuttle S. The shuttle S then makes picks across the lay 20 through the shed and back again into the shuttle box 22. During this time, the tail T has moved down the guide wire 78 to a position across the mouth 76 of the suction pipe 44 and the tensioning clamp 98 releases the tail. During the movement of the shuttle box 22 forward toward the transfer mechanism, the tail hook fin engages the incoming tail T and strips it from the drum 38. The incoming tail T is held by the mouth until the temple cutter 18 cuts the same at the cloth selvage. Then the tail is. immediately drawn through the mouth 76 of the suction pipe 44 into the outlet tube 54. and deposited in a receptacle.

FIGURES 2 and 3 are schematic plan views merely to illustrate the general arrangement of the filling tail removal equipment of the present invention with respect to the lay 20 and shuttle box 22; The figures do not attempt to arrange the exact position-of the lay and shuttle box with respect to the filling tail removal equipment at any particular moment as the above description clearly describes such operation. It will be well to note, however, that the entire removal of the trailing tail T occurs within at least one to three picks of the full bobbin B which has replaced the spent bobbin B. Also, it will be understood'that the removal of the incoming tail T ofthe full bobbin B occurs within at least one "to three picks of the shuttle with the bobbin B so that the removal of both of the tails T and T occur for all practical purposes substantially simultaneously. The suction which is applied to the suction pipes 49 and 44 is maintained constant from the time of initiation of the transfer cycle until at least several picks of the shuttle S are made with the full bobbin B so that there is positive control over both of the tailsT and T at all times during the removal operation. By such an arrangement as just previously described, neither of the tails T nor T has to be held during the interim between transfer cycles. As there are usually in the order of 2,300 picks for a bobbin, the elimination of holding a tail duringthe interim of time to make this number of picks removes all chance of the tails breaking loose and being woven into the fabric.

As is now apparent, the present invention provides an improved simple, economical. and efiicient arrangement for removing the outgoing and incoming tails of spent and full bobbins during and immediately after transfer, such arrangement as disclosed in the. drawings and de scribed hereinbefore fully. satisfies the advantages and objects of the present invention. However, certain modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of description and not limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay with a shuttle box thereon at the replenishing end thereof, a magazine for holding full bobbins, a transfer mechanism for stripping a spent bobbin from the shuttle and inserting a full bobbin therein, and a temple cutter for cutting tails of spent and full bobbins at the selvage, the improvement in filling tail removal equipment comprising: means for holding the ends of the filling tails of the full bobbins while the bobbins are in the magazine and are being moved toward and successively transferred to the shuttle; a first suction pipe having a longitudinal axis extending substantially horizontally and transversely of the lay, said suction pipe having a mouth laying in a substantially vertical plane transversely of the direction of movement of the lay; a pickup guide fin fixed to said first suction pipe and extending vertically downwardly therefrom and projecting forwardly of the mouth of the same, said pickup guide fin having a substantially smooth uninterrupted surface extending to the mouth of said first suction pipe and arranged to cooperate with the lay on the forward movement of the lay to pick up a tail of a spent bobbin moving with the lay and direct the same toward the mouth of the first suction pipe; a second suction pipe positioned between the shuttle in the shuttle box and said holding means, said second suction pipe having a mouth laying in a substantially vertical plane transversely of the movement of the lay; a rod element extending from beneath the mouth of said second suction pipe and upwardly and away therefrom for directing tails of full bobbins progressively being moved in the magazine and successively transferred to the shuttle toward the mouth of the second suction pipe; means carried by the shuttle box and positioned intermediate said second suction pipe and said holding means for stripping the filling tail of a full bobbin from said holding means after the full bobbin is transferred to the shuttle, said means including a filling tail hook fin element carried by the outside of the shuttle box and facing in a direction generally towards said second suction pipe, said filling tail hook fin element projecting forwardly from said shuttle box and engaging the filling tail of a bobbin transferred to a shuttle on forward movement of the lay; and means operative in response to actuation of the transfer mechanism for applying suction simultaneously to said first and second suction pipes for a predetermined length of time during transfer cycle of the transfer mechanism whereby the filling tail of the incoming full bobbin is removed immediately after the filling tail of the spent bobbin is removed.

2. In an automatic filling replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay with a shuttle box thereon at the replenishing end thereof, a magazine for holding full bobbins, a transfer mechanism for stripping a spent bobbin from the shuttle and inserting a full bobbin therein, and a temple cutter for cutting tails of spent and full bobbins at the selvage, the improvement in filling tail removal equipment comprising: means for holding the ends of filling tails of full bobbins while the bobbins are progressively moved in the magazine toward and transferred into the shuttle in the shuttle box; a first suction pipe positioned between the temple cutter and the shuttle box and arranged to cooperate with the lay upon forward movement of the same, a shuttle feeler tip element for feeling the tip of a spent shuttle in the shuttle box, said shuttle feeler tip element having a hook therein for receiving the tail of a spent bobbin and pulling the same away from the lay and toward the mouth of said first suction pipe upon rearward movement of the lay; a second suction pipe positioned between the shuttle box and said holding means, said second suction pipe having a mouth laying in a substantially vertical plane transversely of the movement of the shuttle box; a guide wire extending from beneath the mouth of the second suction pipe and upwardly and away therefrom, said guide wire being ar ranged to guide the tails of full bobbins toward the mouth of the second suction pipe as the full bobbins are being successively transferred to the shuttle in the shuttle box with the ends of their tails being held by said holding means; a filling tail hook fin element fixed to the outside of the shuttle box and facing in a direction generally toward said suction pipe, said filling tail hook element being positioned intermediate said second suction pipe and said holding means and moving with said shuttle box and lay in a forward direction generally toward said suction pipe for engaging the tail of a full bobbin transferred into the shuttle of a shuttle box and stripping the tail from said holding means; and means operative in response to actuation of the transfer mechanism for simultaneously applying suction to said first and second suction pipes for a predetermined period of time whereby said first suction pipe picks up the tail of a spent bobbin upon the tails engagement with the hook in said shuttle feeler tip element and holds the same until cut by the temple cutter and then withdraws it and said second suction pipe picks up the tail of the full bobbin being transferred into the shuttle in the shuttle box and holds the same until at least one pick has been made by the shuttle and until the temple cutter cuts the tail of the full bobbin.

3. Filling tail removal equipment as claimed in claim 2 including cutter means movable into the shuttle box for severing and holding the tail of a spent bobbin until the temple cutter cuts such tail at the selvage.

4. Filling tail removal equipment as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cutter means includes a Stafford-type thread cutter having a lay bunter and a cam follower, a cam for cooperating with the cam follower of said Stafford-type cutter, said cam having a first cam surface for opening said cutter when said cutter moves toward the shuttle box and closing it when it first begins to move away from the shuttle box and a second cam surface for reopening said cutter after said cutter has closed and when said lay bunter is engaged by the lay and the transfer mechanism is pushed backward thereby.

5. Filling tail removal equipment as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first suction nozzle has a longitudinal axis extending substantially horizontally and transversely of the lay and wherein said first suction pipe includes a pickup guide fin fixed thereto extending vertically downwardly and forwardly of the mouth of the same, said pickup guide fin being arranged to cooperate with the lay on the forward movement of the same to pick up the tail of a spent bobbin and direct it toward the mouth of the suction pipe when such tail has been picked up by the hook in said shuttle feeler tip element.

6. Filling tail removal equipment as claimed in claim 2 including a tension clamp positioned adjacent said holding means, said tension clamp being selectively operable to apply tension to the filling tail of a full bobbin while the bobbin is being transferred into and threaded in the shuttle, said tensioning clamp releasing said filling tail prior to stripping of said filling tail from said holding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,141,062 Drolet Dec. 20, 1938 2,194,531 Turner Mar. 26, 1940 2,199,353 Turner Apr. 30, 1940 2,228,225 Brown Jan. 7, 1941 2,231,825 Brown Feb. 11, 1941 2,681,666 Moseley et al. June 22, 1954 2,766,779 Goodhue et al. Oct. 16, 1956 2,928,430 Consoletti et al. Mar. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 482,856 Italy Dec. 13, 1956 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM HAVING A RECIPROCATING LAY WITH A SHUTTLE BOX THEREON AT THE REPLENISHING END THEREOF, A MAGAZINE FOR HOLDING FULL BOBBINS, A TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR STRIPPING A SPENT BOBBIN FROM THE SHUTTLE AND INSERTING A FULL BOBBIN THEREIN, AND A TEMPLE CUTTER FOR CUTTING TAILS OF SPENT AND FULL BOBBINS AT THE SELVAGE, THE IMPROVEMENT IN FILLING TAIL REMOVAL EQUIPMENT COMPRISING: MEANS FOR HOLDING THE ENDS OF THE FILLING TAILS OF THE FULL BOBBINS WHILE THE BOBBINS ARE IN THE MAGAZINE AND ARE BEING MOVED TOWARD AND SUCCESSIVELY TRANSFERRED TO THE SHUTTLE; A FIRST SECTION PIPE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY AND TRANSVERSELY OF THE LAY, SAID SECTION PIPE HAVING A MOUTH LYING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE LAY; A PICKUP GUIDE FIN FIXED TO SAID FIRST SUCTION PIPE AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY OF THE MOUTH OF THE SAME, SAID PICKUP GUIDE FIN HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY SMOOTH UNINTERRUPTED SURFACE EXTENDING TO THE MOUTH OF SAID FIRST SUCTION PIPE AND ARRANGED TO COOPERATE WITH THE LAY ON THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE LAY TO PICK UP A TAIL OF A SPENT BOBBIN MOVING WITH THE LAY AND DIRECT THE SAME TOWARD THE MOUTH OF THE FIRST SUCTION PIPE; A SECOND SUCTION PIPE POSITIONED BETWEEN THE SHUTTLE IN THE SHUTTLE BOX AND SAID HOLDING MEANS, SAID SECOND SUCTION PIPE HAVING A MOUTH LAYING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE TRANSVERSELY OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE LAY; A ROD ELEMENT EXTENDING FROM BENEATH THE MOUTH OF SAID SECOND SUCTION PIPE AND UPWARDLY AND AWAY THEREFROM FOR DIRECTING TAILS OF FULL BOBBINS PROGRESSIVELY BEING MOVED IN THE MAGAZINE AND SUCCESSIVELY TRANSFERRED TO THE SHUTTLE TOWARD THE MOUTH OF THE SECOND SUCTION PIPE; MEANS CARRIED BY THE SHUTTLE BOX AND POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE SAID SECOND SUCTION PIPE AND SAID HOLDING MEANS FOR STRIPPING THE FILLING TAIL OF A FULL BOBBIN FROM SAID HOLDING MEANS AFTER THE FULL BOBBIN IS TRANSFERRED TO THE SHUTTLE, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A FILLING TAIL HOOK FIN ELEMENT CARRIED BY THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHUTTLE BOX AND FACING IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY TOWARDS SAID SECOND SUCTION PIPE, SAID FILLING TAIL HOOK FIN ELEMENT PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM SAID SHUTTLE BOX AND ENGAGING THE FILLING TAIL OF A BOBBIN TRANSFERRED TO A SHUTTLE ON FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE LAY; AND MEANS OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO ACTUATION OF THE TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR APPLYING SUCTION SIMULTANEOUSLY TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUCTION PIPES FOR A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF TIME DURING TRANSFER CYCLE OF THE TRANSFER MECHANISM WHEREBY THE FILLING TAIL OF THE INCOMING FULL BOBBIN IS REMOVED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FILLING TAIL OF THE SPENT BOBBIN IS REMOVED. 